CHAPTER 34

Ever-Flora

♧

The stillness of the house where no sound was produced except the pristine wind from outside and an audible creak through the door. She stood on the threshold, waiting for anyone in her family to show up. The lights were left on when she entered inside, she noticed, and Lena mentally let out a groan of frustration.

"Dad? Serena? Are you there?" she called out but no answer came.

Oh, where are they? So much for spending our electricity bills.

She expected better from her father's prudence and found it difficult by how heedless her family were when they left the door and the front gate unlocked. Lena searched everywhere around the house, including the garret and underneath the stairs. But there was not a soul, not even dog Axel. She was starting to have a queer feeling about the situation and this rendered her anxiety even more since she was drowning herself in her own thoughts, thinking all the brutal possibilities.

But for a short time later, Lena was back at ease again when her little sister happened to break into the room and stood with overflowing spirits as her little figure leaned back against the front door. The balloon in her rosy and freckled cheeks was puffed. Much surprised by how delighted and breathless her little sister was, Lena began her inquisition.

"No, I didn't go out alone, I swear. Dad, Axel and I were in Ever-Flora. They're waiting for you! " Serena ran to her sister, dragged her by the arms and picked their way outside since there was no time to waste. It was a short walk to get to their destination. Near the neighbourhood, they could see the hills above the view, looking as clear as a sunlit day.

"Alright. You don't have to hold my arm anymore, little sis," Lena sighed after ten minutes of climbing up the green pearly hill, where they were coming along their way toward the flower fields below. "What's the occasion anyway?"

"You'll see, Lena. It's supposed to be a surprise," she whispered intensely. "I can't tell you yet."

"I wonder what the surprise is." Lena smiled.

After they had gone through the tunnel, the Foster sisters went down the path. This, however, might ultimately be one of the last moments of spending time together as Foster sisters.

Slowly, they reached the fields of Ever-Flora, where a cluster of beautiful polychromatic flowers rocked when the wind rose to the east. They danced there as the sun radiated some part of the round surface of the earth.

As far as her eye could reach, Lena was suddenly staring at a solitary figure who was walking his way among the fields of rainbow poppies, lavenders, marigolds and it seemed as if he was going towards their direction. A ray of beam shone upon his aura in the distance.

Lena paid much attention to his movements where the fields were stretched out across her. His movements seemed familiar to her and she found this charming but funny at the same time because it even crossed her mind that the man reminded her so much of James. Lena blinked a couple of times.

Wait, could it really be James?

Lena almost fainted in her spot.

How is it possible?

Her heart was tucked by a rope when he came out in the fields, looking handsome as always. Her legs were weak, her cheeks turned scarlet, her hands fiddled with the strings of her heart locket, and her green emerald eyes shimmered under the white dazzling clouds. The two stood and locked their eyes for a moment. She wasn't entirely aware of what's going on. Her father and dog Axel were here, too. Was this all a dream?

James pulled himself together and drew closer to meet the woman who stole his heart years ago in their youth. He did not have to say the words nor did she, for it was clear that the words were written upon their faces. Even if they were a few inches away, he could still see himself with her together in the future. "Hey, Lena."

"James? Y-you're here," Lena stammered. "You came all the way here just today?"

"No, ah actually, I came here yesterday with an old friend of mine. I'm sure you remember him. It's a bit late to say this, I know, but I wanted to surprise you something." James came closer this time. "You see-"

Before he could finish his sentence, two young men showed up at the wrong time from behind the willow tree. Victor began to serenade and play the accordion while Joe was applauding for these two lovers as he joined them. Their reaction, however, was not satisfactory. James stood with his jaw wide-open while Lena was blushing like a schoolgirl. Victor chanted round in a circle and went along the lines of,

When we were skipping in the Fields in love at first sight!

Cheers for us two love birds dilly-dally!

In the pleasant weather

The man kneels and claims the lassie

Cheers to you and me!

"Ah, God," James pressed his fingers against his eyelids, much mortified by the comical scene when he watched his buddies approached between them in a chorus. He lifted his head at the same level as them and explained with a sudden huskiness down from his Adam's apple, "Guys, I am not done here," he said in a sort of patient groan. "For God's sake, will you please stop playing?"

"Oops!" Victor did stop and retreated at once. "Dammit, we had no clue. We didn't know the right time to show up. How the hell can we tell by the way you two were hanging around over here?"

Joe slapped the back of Victor's head abruptly. A loud groan of "What the devil was that for?" Boomed from his sharp tongue.

In any case, the plan was partly a dreadful spoil. Nevertheless, James cleared his throat and ignored them. His silvery eyes were fixed on her from where he was.

"Lena," he calmly carried on with a sigh and stepped closer as he held her delicate hand.

There, he gazed into the pools of her deep emerald eyes that had invariably touched his soul almost every time he stared at them. "What I'm about to say is that I've always wanted to tell you, but never actually did. Now is the right time. Lena, you see I have always felt something different when I'm around with you-Wait, give me a second," he looked down at his pants and searched something in his pockets. A glimpse of a ring lay there in his hands when he picked it out. "I'm aware it took me a long time just to ask you this. But if you are willing to and do me the honour of becoming your husband, I'll be the happiest man on the face of this earth."

"Better late than never," Lena added it for him with a smile. The smile of hers completed her bloomy complexion and she was looking beautiful as ever like the scenery around. Both were flooded with pure happiness inside as the clouds backed away, allowing some room for the golden sky.

"Huh? Oh, hah yeah. I understand it's not fair. If you need some more time, I can wait for yo-."

"Yes." was Lena's emphasized answer. She blurted it out in a determined tone. "I do want you, James." As she spoke, her eyes kindled into a sudden thrill. He beamed once he had heard the answer in his ears and slid the ring onto her finger. "But James-" Then Lena cast a glance of pain when she looked back at her family.

"This is hard," Lena bit her lip and choked back a tear since she needed to make sure her father was pleased with her final decision. "Are you okay with this, dad?"

"You know, I can't keep you forever, Lena. We'll see each other often. Won't we, my dear?" Mr. Foster pulled Serena near him and put his arms about her as he glanced over at his last baby in the family.

"Goody, yes! But-" she paused and looked up at her father with sorrow in her eyes. "Does this mean that Lena will have to move away?"

"That's right. But she'll visit us, my dear."

"No, no," She drew back from her father's arms. "It's too soon! I thought James would move in with us, daddy." Serena protested.

"Why, uh my girl, you should know they need privacy. Besides, someday they'll have kids of their own and we sure can't fit them in our house." Mr. Foster tried to explain, but his daughter's merry face vanished. Never before, Lena had seen her little sister washed over a pained look like that.

Lena couldn't handle it anymore since it was too hard to watch, so she dashed forward, held her little girl in her arms, and bent over to soothe the child with tender words while stroking the brown wavy hair. This was a hard blow for Serena. All these years of spending time together, Serena knew her big sister was the only guardian, the only dearest friend that would never leave her behind. Now the thought of Lena moving away was something she was not used to. The child broke over into a fit of sobs and clutched her sister for comfort. "Lena," Serena wept miserably. "Please stay with us, please. You know I hate being alone."

"What do you mean, little sister? You've got dad with you."

"B-but y-you're always the one who p-plays d-dollh-house with me a-an-d s-sing me a bed-t-time s-so-o-n-g. Y-y-you s-s-s-said y-you loved me. Y-you still do r-right, Lena? Y-you're not going to leave me forever, L-en-a?" Serena had tried her best not to cry in front of strangers behind them. But she couldn't.

"You adorable little goose, of course, I'm not going away forever. There's a time when I can't always be there for you, little sister. Though it doesn't mean I don't love you. Please, it will hurt me if you cry." Lena wiped the tear off the dear face from her slender fingers.

"Serena," suddenly another voice called her among the gathering men and it was James. He stepped nearer, knelt down beside the sobbing child and finally set his foot down when he said, "We'll be neighbours, kid. We can see each other often in the old house. Remember the place? We met there, Yes?"

Lena shifted back at him with a look of wonder. "Amelia's house? James, I thought you're going back to the city. What about your work and-and your family? How long does it take you to get there?"

"You don't have to worry, Lena. I'll figure it out. My job isn't the only problem. Anyways, the flight takes about forty minutes and plus an hour drive to get here from the airport. If by train, it takes nearly ten hours."

"Oh, no. You're not going to do this every weekday, are you?"

He chuckled when he saw her with a sweet questioning glance. "You'll see. If I'm not able to do this then I guess I can get another job. They offer a lot of jobs here, don't they? You know what, wait a little. We'll work it out together when you're completely mine, my Lena." He cast a sheepish grin and stared at his fiance who looked very becoming in his eyes. He wooed her in the same spot she was standing among the flowers and there he was under a spell of Lena's beauty.

"Are you trying to say that you're not moving out of town, Mr. Allan?" Mr. Foster interrupted when he noticed James was on a reverie.

It gave him a start. "No, It's safe to say, no. I promise myself not to live anywhere other than my hometown where I grew up in. A fellow like me has to keep his promise. Especially my own." James announced, with an air of a man that was confident when holding onto one of his steadfast plans.

"Did you hear that, my dear? Your sister will stay here with us." Mr. Foster repeated, making sure his daughter would hear the happy news.

Serena sniffed and looked up at Lena. Her aura glowed and her enchanting satiny brown eyes lifted with eagerness inside."Will you?"

Lena bent over one last time and kissed her shiny forehead as she whispered so lovingly, "Anything for you, my little girl." and when she said this, it shot up the girl's woe and finally washed over her fear. Those words from the lips of an old soul, indeed, meant so much to her in the world. No one could ever replace a sister like her.

Author's Note

That's it.

I want to say, Thank you for my readers. You've come all this far. You don't know how much it means to me from the bottom of my heart.

Btw I'm actually dedicating this to everyone in general including the mothers and sisters from all over the world who are being less appreciated in our times today.

Before we part our farewell, here is a video I'd like to share. The song Victor sang was inspired by this scene. :D